Buffalo Chicken Chili

My husband has taste buds of steel, and he absolutely loves spicy foods. I have to admit that I was a little nervous before tasting this because I thought it was going to burn my mouth to pieces. I was pleasantly surprised. While it does have a bit of heat, it doesn't linger around in my mouth or throat. My man put a few drops of Tabasco in his bowl, if that tells you anything; I guess it wasn't too hot for him. We ate this for a few days since I doubled the recipe, and I feel like the heat dissipated a little each day.

I would definitely repeat this recipe because it's so delicious, and it cooks while I'm at work. This is a perfect meal for those cold nights in front of the TV watching football. Serve it with sliced avocado, celery, crackers, or whatever you fancy.


Buffalo Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (cooked & shredded or raw & whole)
1/2 bottle Frank's Buffalo Sauce
1 (15.5-oz) can beans (garbanzo, black, pinto, whatever!)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 (15-oz) can tomato sauce (oops! I think I only used 1 can)
1 can cream-style corn
1 cup salsa
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

Directions:
Dump everything into the crockpot, and stir well. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. If your chicken was raw when you put it in, take it out after about 8 hours, shred it, and then stir it back into the chili.
Enjoy!

Source: Sweet Anna's

Buffalo Chicken Rolls

Football season has come again, and that means tailgating time! These buffalo chicken rolls are the perfect tailgating finger food to serve at your next football party. They are hot-hot-hot, so make sure you have some blue cheese or ranch dressing to dip them into. Otherwise, your mouth will be on fire. You can make these as mild or spicy as you want. Just adjust how much sauce you put on the chicken.

My husband makes the best hot wing sauce, so I let him whip up his recipe while I shredded the chicken. I did find that I needed more than 1 cup of shredded chicken. I used 2 cups, which made around 13 rolls. I just used a rotisserie chicken, but you could boil chicken breasts and/or thighs and then shred them. Next time I make these, I'll put a little less blue cheese inside the rolls. A little bit goes a long way, especially if you're also using a blue cheese dipping sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Rolls
makes about 12-13 rolls

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup Crystal Hot Sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups chicken, shredded
1 cup (4-ounces) crumbled blue cheese (I'll use a little less next time)
1 cup broccoli slaw or cole slaw (dry)
12-13 egg roll wrappers
Small bowl of water
Blue cheese dressing or Ranch dressing for serving

Directions:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the hot sauce and garlic powder. Stir until combined. Pour the desired amount into the bowl with the shredded chicken, depending on your spice preference. Mix until chicken is moist with the sauce.

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Lay egg roll wrappers on a clean work surface. Begin by placing one tablespoon of the broccoli slaw on the diagonal of the bottom right corner of one of the wrappers. Next, place 2 tablespoons of shredded spicy chicken evenly on top of the slaw. Spoon 1 tablespoon (or less) of the blue cheese crumbles over the chicken. Do not overfill.

To fold: Fold the bottom right corner over the stuffing mixture so that it covers it completely, with the tip of the corner now pointing to the center of the egg roll wrapper. Fold in the bottom left corner, followed by the right, so that you now have formed an envelope. Roll the wrap upward one time, leaving the top left corner open. Wet your index finger in the small bowl of water and press to moisten the top left corner. Now fold that down on top of the filled roll, sealing it like you would an envelope.

Repeat with remaining rolls.

Place the rolls on a wire rack set on top of a cookie sheet (or just on a greased cookie sheet) coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz each roll evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Turn the rolls over, and bake for an additional 7 minutes to crisp the other side.

Source: barely adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner

Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos

My crockpot and I have become great friends over the past year. I kindof left her in the back of a cabinet for several years since I didn't really know what to do with her, but thankfully she forgave me. Some of my favorite meals have come from the crockpot, and nothing beats coming home to dinner ready to be served.

This particular recipe is perfect for tacos, lettuce wraps, baked potatoes, and even nachos. My package of chicken wasn't quite a pound, so mine came out a little creamier (but amazing, nonetheless). I also used salsa verde because I had some already opened in my fridge. I'll be excited to compare the recipe using the red salsa in the near future (although this one will be hard to beat). We ate on this for 3 nights and didn't even get tired of it. That says a lot!

Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used fat-free)
1 cup salsa (red or green)
1 package taco seasoning
3/4 cup light sour cream or fat-free plain greek yogurt
Flour tortillas
Toppings of your choice

Directions:
Mix soup, salsa and taco seasoning in the bottom of your crockpot. Sink chicken breasts into the mixture, covering completely. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
Remove chicken, shred, and return to the crockpot. Add sour cream (or greek yogurt) and mix well. Heat until everything is warmed through.
Create tacos with your favorite toppings.

Source: adapted from My Finds Online

BBQ Chicken Calzones

I love homemade pizza crust, but if I want to be honest with myself, I just don't have the time to make it very often. My new secret to a wonderful homemade pizza crust is to drive down the road to the local pizza shop and purchase the dough. I usually buy a couple of crusts and stick one in the freezer since they freeze really well.

This recipe is from the recipe swap that I participate in, and I was so pumped when I got this one. Chicken was the theme this week, and this recipe came from The Jey of Cooking. The original recipe is for a pizza, but I decided to make calzones. Who doesn't like their own little hand pie? These calzones were so good. My man helped me make these, and he kept raving about how good they were. He's already hinting around that he wants us to have these again, and I'm all in! I used the Easy Peasy BBQ Sauce for this recipe, and the flavors were perfect with the chicken and bacon.


BBQ Chicken Calzones

Ingredients:
1 recipe of pizza dough
2 chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken, chopped or shredded
1/2  small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
1/2 package bacon, cooked and diced (I used turkey bacon)
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500-degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the bbq sauce and ranch dressing. Add the chicken and stir to combine.

Divide the pizza dough into 4 even pieces. Stretch each piece into a circle and place on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking.

Spread 1/4 of the chicken mixture onto one half of each circle, leaving a 1-inch edge. Sprinkle with bacon, onion, cheese, and oregano. Fold into a half moon shape and crimp the edges with your fingers or with a fork. Spray the top of each calzone with cooking spray for even browning.

Place calzones onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.

Serve warm with extra bbq-ranch sauce for dipping.

***Calzones freeze really well. Let them cool after baking and then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped calzones into a freezer bag and freeze.

Source: recipe from The Jey of Cooking

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

I had some spaghetti noodles in my pantry that have been staring me in the face for quite some time. I haven't really been in the mood for spaghetti, but I really wanted to get rid of them. Thankfully I found a recipe for a hearty soup that satisfied both my man and myself. The soup is started by making an easy roux, which gives the soup a thick consistency. The broccoli was nice and crisp, which is just how I like it (no thank you to soggy broccoli).

I did make a few changes in order to save calories. The nutritional info below does NOT reflect my changes, so the calories and fat are actually less than noted. I used fat free half-and-half instead of the full fat version like the recipe states. I also used skim milk instead of the 1% noted in the recipe.

This soup is best served right away, but it also makes for great leftovers the next night. It will thicken up when stored in the fridge, but you can add some water or chicken broth to thin it out before reheating.

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup


Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups 1% milk (I used skim)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces uncooked vermicelli or spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8-ounces) shredded light Velveeta cheese
4 cups (1-inch) cubed chicken breast
3 cups (8-ounces) small broccoli florets
1 cup half-and-half (I used fat free)
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook about 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.
Yield: 10 (1 cup) servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 317 calories; 12.3g fat (6.8g saturated; 2.9g monounsaturated; 0.9g polyunsaturated); 27.5g protein; 23.8g carbs; 1.9g fiber; 74mg cholesterol; 1.6mg iron; 723mg sodium; 179mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light, March 2009

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

We've been enjoying our home grown tomatoes and basil over the past few weeks. One of my favorite summer time recipes is bruschetta on top of a piece of toasted french bread. I never would have thought to pair it with chicken, and I'm so glad I found this recipe. This is one of my favorite chicken recipes to date. It's like summer wrapped up in a meal. 


The bruschetta mixture is best when it has time to marinate. Make it the night before for the best flavor. Add the cheese while grilling the chicken the next night, and it makes for a very quick meal.


Grilled Chicken Bruschetta


Ingredients:
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 medium vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced
4 (4-ounce) pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, and basil to the onion mixture. You can add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside and let it sit at least 10 minutes or preferably overnight. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/2-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and grill on your indoor or outdoor grill. Top chicken with bruschetta and serve.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 236.8 calories; 8.5g fat; 32.4g protein; 6.8g carbs; 1.3g fiber; 0.5g sugar; 182.9mg sodium (without the salt)

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

This is one of the best crockpot recipes I've tasted. BBQ is so versatile, and you can put it on just about anything. One of my favorite things to do is to put it on a baked potato with a little cheese and fat free sour cream. I don't even need butter.

This BBQ has a smoky flavor from the adobo sauce and a little punch of heat from the chiles. Aubrey said that he would have thought this was pulled pork if he wasn't the one to put the chicken in the crockpot. It makes a lot, so you can have leftovers for several nights or you can freeze it in several zipper top bags for later meals.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons dry mustard
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, trimmed of fat
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion, and garlic; stir to combine.

Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5-6 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.
Serves 8-10

Source: Apple A Day; Originally from EatingWell.com

Sausage-Stuffed Peppers

One of the reasons I love making stuffed peppers is because I don't have to worry about making a side item to go with them. They are a meal in themselves. Bell peppers serve as the "bowl" and can be stuffed with almost anything. I like to stuff them with a meat mixture, but I've never tried sausage. I was pleasantly surprised at how the flavors came together. I used a honey chicken sausage because that's the only healthy sausage my grocery store carried. I also added a pinch of crushed red pepper to the sausage to add a little heat to the sweetness.

This recipe calls for marinara sauce to be added before baking, but I forgot to add it. They were good nonetheless, and I saved a few calories that way.

Sausage-Stuffed Peppers


Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 large egg
3 Tablespoons ketchup
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dried plain bread crumbs
1 pound ground turkey sausage
4 bell peppers
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, plus more for serving


Directions:
Brown the sausage.

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Generously spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix together the onion, parsley, egg, ketchup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup cheese and the bread crumbs then mix in the browned turkey.

Cut the tops off the peppers and use a spoon to scrape out the ribs and seeds. Stuff the peppers with the turkey mixture and place upright in the baking dish. Spoon the marinara sauce over the stuffed vegetables.

Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional cheese. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
To serve, let peppers rest three minutes, then transfer to a platter and serve with additional sauce.

Source: Apple A Day

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken

I've come to love my crockpot over the past few months. It's so nice to come home from a long day of work and have supper ready. It also makes a lot of food that we can eat on for a couple of days. This Tex-Mex chicken was delicious. The beans and chicken were perfectly tender, and it had a nice smokey flavor from the adobo sauce. I put this mixture on top of a baked potato for a complete meal. Normally I like my baked potatoes slathered with butter, bacon, and all the other unhealthy stuff, but this Tex-Mex Chicken had enough flavor on it's own. I only added a dab of light sour cream on top, and it was still figure friendly.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken

Ingredients:
1 cup dried pinto beans
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups mild or medium salsa
2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
4 scallions, white and green parts chopped, for serving

Directions:
In a five to six-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chilies, flour and water.
Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion, bell pepper, and garlic on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for eight hours. Do not open lid or stir... I promise it's working!
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred into large pieces. Return chicken to slow cooker and top with sour cream, cilantro, and scallions.
Serves 6 as a main course. Serves about 8-10 if you serve on top of a baked potato.

Source: Apple A Day ... Originally from Martha Stewart

Baked Chicken Parmesan

I love finding recipes that lighten up a normally full-o-fat recipe. However, it's only considered a "win" if the taste isn't sacrificed. I consider this particular recipe a "win." I always beat my chicken to death between 2 layers of plastic wrap. Beating the chicken with a mallet helps me get my frustrations out makes the chicken really tender. If you do that, the cooking time may decrease a bit. Mine did, anyway... by about 5 minutes. The end result was a tender piece of chicken wrapped in a crispy coating with cheesy goodness on top.
Did I mention that I love beating chicken?

Baked Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I accidently left this out, and it still turned out amazing)
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup marinara sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into the breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken on the preparred baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 224.5 calories; 8.6g fat; 14.2g carbs; 1.3g fiber

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Laughing Cow Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a lighter version of Chicken Cordon Bleu without skimping on the flavors. Laughing Cow cheese is one of my favorite snacks. It comes in many different flavors, but the plain is my favorite. If you make this recipe feel free to use the flavored kind (garlic and herb would be good).
Don't be afraid to pound the chicken. Just make sure it's in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap so chicken pieces don't fly everywhere. Pounding it makes it easy to roll up, and it also makes the chicken very tender. I didn't add any salt since the ham contained a good amount, but feel free to season the chicken if you like.

Ingredients:
4 (4-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 wedges Laughing Cow cheese (any flavor)
4 servings extra lean deli ham
Panko bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
Pound each chicken breast to about 1/4-inch thickness. Spread one wedge of cheese on top of each breast. Then place 2 to 3 slices of ham on top of the cheese. Roll up the chicken and secure with toothpicks. Roll the chicken around in a dish of Panko bread crumbs.
Spray a baking dish lightly with PAM. Place the chicken in the baking dish and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
Yield: 4 servings

Estimated nutritional info (per serving): 217 calories; 5g fat; 80mg cholesterol; 1232mg sodium; 99mg potassium; 7g carbs; 32g protein

Source: Spark Recipes

Chicken and White Bean Stuffed Peppers

I took a home economics class in 9th grade, and the very first thing (real food) I learned to cook was stuffed peppers. I was so proud of those peppers, too! I think they had ground beef and rice and a few other ingredients in them, and they were good.

I found this recipe on a blog that I frequent when I need ideas for healthy cooking. I was really pleased with how these turned out and with how filling they were. My man thought the same thing. He even brought a pepper over to his parent's house so his family could give it a try.

We ate these for two nights, and they are still good the next night. I stuck them in the oven just to warm them up, and they were perfect.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro
5 bell peppers (red or green)
14-ounces shredded cooked chicken breast (I used 1 rotisserie chicken)
Cumin, to taste
Salt, to taste
1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a medium pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add chopped onions, garlic, parsley and red pepper. Saute until soft, about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and season with cumin and salt. Add beans and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until it thickens and the liquid reduces. Adjust spices to taste.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Cut peppers in half removing seeds and stem. Place peppers in an oven-proof dish. Fill each pepper with 1/3 cup of chicken and bean mixture. Pour about 1/3 cup water or chicken broth on the bottom of the dish. Cover tight with foil. Bake 30 minutes at 350-degrees. Remove foil, top with cheese and bake uncovered another 5 minutes.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 halves)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 304 calories; 5.9g fat; 29.9g protein; 34.9g carbs; 6.5g fiber

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

This risotto is a complete meal with the meat and carbs, and it left us feeling full and satisfied. Typically risotto requires lots of attention and constant stirring. However, this recipe only required a couple of stirs. Between stirs, I had time to shred the chicken, chop the chives, watch The Bachelor.... oh wait; did I say that out loud?!?
The end result was a rich and creamy risotto with chicken and caramelized onions mixed throughout.


Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional)

Directions:
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until each side is a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken breasts to the saucepan with the simmering broth mixture. Let cook until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions.

Add the butter to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of hot broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth mixture to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove pot from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the shredded chicken and caramelized onions into the risotto with the lemon juice and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to 1/2 cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.
Yield: about 6 servings

Source: Annie's Eats; originally from Cook's Illustrated May/June 2010

Greek Chicken and Slaw Pita

This is always what I order when I go to Zoe's Kitchen. I tried to recreate my own version of this pita, and I think it turned out quite delicious. I used chicken tenders, but you could use regular chicken breasts and slice them thin after cooking. This will definitely be a meal that I repeat again and again.

Ingredients:
1 cup Greek Slaw, divided
8 chicken tenders
Greek seasoning
4 pita pocket

Directions:
Season the chicken tenders with Greek seasoning. Coat a grill pan or nonstick skillet with olive oil and heat pan on medium. Cook chicken a few minutes on each side until cooked throughout. Put 2 chicken tenders inside each pita pocket and top with 1/4 cup Greek law.

Source: Inspired by Zoe's Kitchen

Greek Slaw

Zoe's Kitchen is a Greek restaurant that I'm obsessed with right now. I travel for business a good bit, and I always eat there for dinner. I love it! They make their own amazing dressing out of red wine vinegar, oil, and Greek spices. I recently bought a bottle so I could recreate their slaw. My mom told me that I could recreate Zoe's slaw by mixing a bag of chopped cabbage and chopped green onions with some of their dressing and some feta cheese. I followed her directions, and it turned out just right! It's much better once the slaw has a chance to marinate for several hours.


Ingredients and Directions:

Place chopped cabbage in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top of the cabbage, and sprinkle feta cheese and about 1 cup chopped green onions on top. I also added a little black pepper. Stir to combine and let slaw marinate in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Source: Inspired by Zoe's Kitchen

Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken

I brought my trusty crock pot out again to take care of supper for us. The trick to making meat fall-off-the-bone-tender is to cook it low and slow, and that's exactly what the crock pot does. This chicken definitely fell apart when taking it out of the pot, but that was exactly what I wanted it to do. I served this on top of rice, but it would also be a great filling for enchiladas and burritos. I think I may try that sometime soon.




Ingredients:
24-ounces (1 1/2 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
14.4-ounce can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15-ounce can black beans
8-ounces frozen corn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14.4-ounce can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit or decrease if you don't like spicy; increase if you love spicy)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and lay on top. Cook on LOW for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice or a warm tortilla.
Yield: 8 servings (1 cup per serving)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 172 calories; 1.6g fat; 3.8g fiber

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Crispy Chicken-and-Rice Casserole

I changed this recipe up just a little to make it more healthy. I tried to add up all of the calories, and I came up with about 290 calories per serving (give or take a few). The removal of several calories did not take away from the flavor. This is amazing and filling. It also freezes well, which helps me on those busy week nights when I don't have time to prepare supper.



I bought a few covered casserole dishes from Tuesday Morning, and they are perfect for freezing meals. I'm able to get two servings in each dish, which is perfect for husband and wife. My mom gave me this idea when she told me that her mother would send her home with several porcelain casserole dishes of chicken spaghetti for her and my dad. She would stick them in the freezer for future meals.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 (10.5 ounce) cans low fat cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup light mayonnaise (I used the Canola mayo)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed cornflakes cereal

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions (omit the butter and salt). Stir together cooked rice and next 10 ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cereal.

Bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Don't put the cornflakes on top of the casserole until it has thawed out (right before putting into the oven). Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350-degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 15 minutes more or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Source: Adapted from Southern Living

Chicken Chili

My favorite time to cook is when it is cool outside, and one of my favorite things to cook is soup. To me, soup is the ultimate comfort food. It also tastes great for left overs the next night or two, and most of them freeze well.
We really enjoyed this healthy and filling recipe. Aubrey loved the heat from the red pepper; he loves anything with heat. If you have a sensitive tongue, you may want to cut down or omit the red pepper. I loved the chunkiness (is that a word?) of this chili. The only change I would make next time is to use canned diced tomatoes instead of the canned whole tomatoes. I accidentally pureed the tomatoes too much and had to cut up a fresh tomato to make up for the lack of texture in the tomatoes.



Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
4 cups chopped yellow onion (2-3 onions)
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bell peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced
2 teaspoons salt
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes in puree, not drained (or you can used diced tomatoes)
2 (15-ounce) cans beans (black, kidney, and/or pinto), drained and rinsed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken breasts on the foil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the chicken breasts to make a packet. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool enough to handle, then shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onions about 10-15 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and saute just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, oregano, chipotle, and salt. Cook 5 more minutes. If using the canned whole tomatoes, place them in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly so the tomatoes are cut into large chunks. Add the tomatoes with the puree to the pot (or dump in the canned diced tomatoes). Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the shredded chicken and the beans, and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats... originally from Barefoot Contessa Parties by Ina Garten

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Casseroles are a great way to stretch a meal into a couple of days. I won't be around tomorrow night to cook supper, so I made this casserole tonight so my man won't be without supper tomorrow. The original recipe calls for 2 cans of the diced green chiles, but I accidentally grabbed a can of diced green chiles and a can of diced jalapenos. It was spicier that I prefer, but I knew Aubrey would be happy about the spicy addition. All in all, I think this was a good recipe. The flavors are rich, and it makes you feel like you're eating a thousand calories. But the good news is that you're not.

Ingredients:
1 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided
1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup (4-ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (2-ounces) light cream cheese
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2-ounces) shredded reduced fat extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips)

Directions:
Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; saute 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 369 calories; 11.4g fat; 2.4mg iron; 79mg cholesterol; 360mg calcium; 31.3g carbohydrate; 479mg sodium; 35.6g protein; 3g fiber

Source: Cooking Light

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas

I'm always on a search for something new to cook. Of course, I have my staple recipes, but I always welcome a new recipe to try.
Many people like the addition of pineapple to savory dishes such as chicken or ham, but I've never really liked the combination. However, my man does, so I chopped up a pineapple to add to his quesadilla. I left them out on mine, but I had some fresh pineapple the next morning to go on top of my Greek yogurt.


The chicken was absolutely amazing on it's own, and I think that's going to be my go-to recipe for BBQ chicken.

Ingredients:
8 flour tortillas
Butter or Margarine
2 cups grilled pineapple, sliced
3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cajun spice, to taste (I used "Slap ya Mama" brand)
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 whole jalapeno, seeded & sliced
Cilantro
3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce

Directions:
Grill pineapple: Cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.

Pound chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap with a mallet to flatten into a uniform thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice. Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and melt butter in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices, and sprinkle with cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. You will have four complete quesadillas at this point.

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into wedges.

Source: Pioneer Woman